Teaching a Completely New Player How to Play

[kurosh]

I tried searching but I couldn't find anything so please link if you know where previous posts on this have been. My gf wants to learn how to play poker. She barely knows the hand rankings. This is what I've done and am planning to do.

- I gave her SSH and told her to study it religiously. I told her if she has any questions to ask me.
- I'm going to help her open a neteller account and a party account w/ rakeback
- I'm going to start her out at .5/1 and give her $300
- I don't know if I should get her PT and a HUD display yet. I think it might just confuse her for now.
- I'm going to start her out 2-tabling. I will watch her play either in person or using a program to let me see her screen and tell her when she's making mistakes.

A big problem is that she is risk-averse. She doesn't want to lose money. She said something about if she starts to lose, she will quit because she doesn't want to lose money. I've tried explaining the luck and variance to her but she won't listen.

Anything I'm missing? Any suggestions?

[tribefan9]

If she is risk averse, have her start out at a site with microlimits. I would imagine the .02/.04 games on Stars are pretty juicy.

[mdeck]

If she's just getting started, she's not going to be able to fully understand and apply the concepts introduced in SSHE. Buy her Winning Low Limit Hold 'Em or another book designed for beginners and have her master the concepts mentioned there before having her read SSHE.

Also, I second the have her play PS .02/.04. When I introduced some of my friends to online poker (they play a lot live but suck balls), they were worried about losing significant amounts, and Stars seemed to be the right skill level and stakes for someone who still values dollar values highly.

[MarkD]

Kurosh,

If she has never played poker the give her GSIH first. It is a much easier book to digest. It starts from the very beginning and discusses stuff we take for granted (like reading the board and your own hand).

With your aid she can progress to SSH in short order but SSH is too much for a pure beginner who doesn't understand simple gambling concepts. She will also learn to accept the fluctuations of our game (or she will decide she can't handle them and quit).

Also, if she is really risk adverse then simply start her at a limit that is so small that she does not have to worry about it. Or, get her a bonus and help her clear it so that she doesn't lose the bonus while playing. Then she is essentially playing with money that isn't hers anyways and she will be less risk adverse.

[El Ishmael]

She won't lose money if you play heads-up 200/400.

[spaminator101]

id start her out with Gary carsons book on limit holdem

[NotMitch]

[ QUOTE ]
A big problem is that she is risk-averse. She doesn't want to lose money. She said something about if she starts to lose, she will quit because she doesn't want to lose money. I've tried explaining the luck and variance to her but she won't listen.

Anything I'm missing? Any suggestions?

[/ QUOTE ]

She does not seem like someone who would enjoy poker.

[Reef]

I'd start her out lower, say .05/.10 with a $30 roll. I imagine it will take a loooong time for her to move up, even if she grasps the concepts and is crushing the limit.

[benfranklin]

SSH is not a beginner's book. Any of the others mentioned here are better. I'd recomment Lee Jones, then GSIH.

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if I should get her PT and a HUD display yet. I think it might just confuse her for now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not until she is playing at least break-even consistently.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to start her out 2-tabling.

[/ QUOTE ]

No way. See answer above.

[ QUOTE ]
tell her when she's making mistakes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Big mistake. Let her play on her own for a while, and encourage her to ask questions. Once she is more confident, start going over hand histories and discuss hands, both good and bad.


[ QUOTE ]
A big problem is that she is risk-averse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Start her out at the penny tables at Stars or wherever. Do not let her play play-money tables. Tons of bad habits and bad examples there. If very risk averse, you might consider something like Turbo TexasHoldem or a similar program until she develops a familiarity with the mechanics and confidence in her play.

[Master5hake]

My GF had an interest in playing some poker, and I let her start playing using Poker Academy Pro -

she has learned a lot of concepts just by using the program, as it comes with that 'advice bot', she too is extremely risk averse - and didn't like to ever raise, but just by playing, and listening to the bot she's picked up basic concepts of bluffing and semi-bluffing on ragged boards etc - and being able to win pots even if she has nothing/draw - something that I don't think she would have embraced were it not for the experience she got playing on Poker Academy - the 'play' money is enough for her to stay motivated and focused, as she is competitive, but since she is playing bots, she is getting a more realistic experience rather than playing other people on play money tables, many of whom don't take the play money seriously at all -

I think all novice players would benefit more from this type of experience rather than having someone sit over their shoulder when they first start out - as variance dictates, sometimes the 'correct' plays do not pay off in the shortrun, and while people are just starting out, the short run is all they know, so if you tell a beginner to three bet a flop on a hand they end up losing (esp with real money) they will resent that and start taking your advice with a grain of salt - they need to cut their teeth with nothing more than a basic undertanding of poker for awhile before you can start mentoring them with some of the finer concepts